12. January 2016

Lithuania | Marijampolé | Dairy farms

[Translate to English:] Die sehr jungen Kälber werden im Kuhstall gehalten.

[Translate to English:] Krankes Kalb, das mit Antibiotika behandelt wird.

[Translate to English:] Ein junges Kalb, das in seinem Iglu vor Kälte zittert.

[Translate to English:] Das Iglu ist für dieses grössere Kalb zu klein.

Before we follow a transport of unweaned calves from Lithuania to Spain, we want to

document keeping conditions for calves in Lithuanian dairy farms. The first farm we

visit has 100 dairy cows and about 30 calves. Five calves are only a few days old

and are kept in the cowshed. One of these animals is sick and being treated with

antibiotics. The calves which are a bit older are kept outside in individual pens. Each

pen has a calf igloo to provide shelter. However, winters are very cold in Lithuania

and several calves are shivering while standing inside the igloos. The bedding in the

igloos is very dirty and wet. We notice that none of the calves is lying down. One calf

that is standing outside the igloo seems to be too big to enter.

The farmer tells us that he sells the male calves when they are two weeks old and

keeps all female animals for milk production. The male calves are exported to the

Netherlands, Spain and Israel for meat production.